4-7-8 Breathing: The Calm Brother of Wim Hof Breathwork
There are moments in the day when you don’t need intensity.
You don’t need more energy, more focus, more stimulation.
You need the opposite.
You need to downshift.
To signal to your body that it’s safe.
To let go of whatever tension’s been stuck in the system — physical or emotional.
That’s where I use 4-7-8 breathing.
Think of it as the quieter cousin of Hormesis or Wim Hof-style breathwork.
It’s simple, grounded, and surprisingly powerful — especially when practiced consistently.
The Pattern
The name says it all:
Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds
That’s one cycle.
Do 4–8 rounds and watch your internal state shift.
This technique was popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil, but its roots go back much further — to ancient yogic breathing like Kumbhaka Pranayama, where breath retention and slow, extended exhalations are used to regulate not just the body, but awareness itself.
Why It Works
This breathing pattern works because it engages your nervous system on multiple levels:
Elevates CO₂ levels slightly.This isn’t dangerous — it’s functional. The Bohr Effect tells us that a mild increase in CO₂ enhances oxygen delivery to tissues and the brain.You’re training tolerance, not deprivation.Holding the breath with the diaphragm contracted also increases cardiac space and heart rate temporarily, enhancing interoceptive awareness — your felt sense of what’s happening inside your body.
This is the parasympathetic key.A long, controlled exhale activates the vagus nerve and slows the heart rate, allowing your system to down-regulate from “threat” to “rest.”It’s what helps you shift out of sympathetic drive — without needing to do 30 rounds of heavy breathing.
Conscious control over the breath recruits the prefrontal cortex, engaging executive functions like focus and emotional regulation. You’re literally building the neural circuit for responding, not reacting.
How I Personally Use It
Here’s when I reach for this:
After a late training session, when I want to wind down quickly
Before bed, especially when my mind is still spinning
After a strong Hormesis breathwork session, to integrate and recalibrate
In the middle of focused work blocks, when I want to reset my baseline
I often pair it with a short warm-up — 3-4-5 breathing (inhale 3, hold 4, exhale 5) — to ease into it. This makes the longer hold and exhale more comfortable and reduces the risk of tension building up.
And for consistency, I use a simple audio file with subtle gong sounds to guide each phase. No voice, no distraction — just enough structure to stay on track.
If you’re interested, I’ve included the download link at the bottom of this email.
A Note on Breath Control
One tip: when exhaling, I gently restrict the airflow using my throat — almost like a whispered “ha.”
This creates light resistance, engages the diaphragm, and slows the breath even further. Over time, it builds strength in your breathing muscles and can make spontaneous breathing feel lighter and more efficient.
This Isn’t Just for Relaxation
Extended exhalations and breath retention aren’t new-age hacks. They’re tools that have been used for thousands of years — not just to calm the body, but to shift consciousness.
And if you’ve practiced Hormesis Breathwork or Tummo with me, you’ll recognize the principle:
Stimulate the system.
Then slow it down.
Ride the wave back to stillness.
4-7-8 breathing is a gentler way to do just that.
Less activation, more restoration.
Less stimulation, more integration.
Try This
Pick a moment today — maybe before bed, or in between work blocks — and do 5 minutes of 4-7-8 breathing. Use my audio if it helps. Let the breath settle your system and bring you back to center.
Breathe well,
Kitaro
PS: You can download different minimal and non-intrusive audio guides from my Breathwork Library (it's free for 7 days). The easiest way to cultivate better breathwork habits is to establish routines and create a nourishing and growth-oriented environment. Being part of my Breathwork Library or Academy helps you access pre-recorded and live guided breathwork sessions, as well as a community, to make it easy to manage stress and establish healthier routines for a strong and resilient mind and body. You can sign up here to get a taste or just to download your 4-7-8 audio guide and cancel within the first 7 days.
